Having a bad day with sugar

I'm not sure if this is the same for everyone... but whenever I have a heavy workout or I've burned a lot of calories in the last few days, the next day or two after... I'm super hungry, my body wants calories. Especially, if I didn't eat more to compensate for the extra activity.

...and what do I want to eat most above anything else when I'm super hungry and need calories... Sugar! I'm guessing because sugar provides the quickest pay back of energy for your body. It is your body's primary source of energy and your body knows it. The more simple the sugar, the quicker the delivery. So I believe that's what is behind most sudden sugar cravings.

If this is the case for you, I would plan to eat a bit more on the days you exercise heavy or are busier, or plan to eat more on the days following. Or try increasing your carbs those days slightly, healthy carb choices of course; plenty of veg, fruit, legumes, low fat dairy.

I have experienced this at times, and I don't usually have a sweet tooth. Often it is because I have been over-tired, or it has been a particularly cold day. Sometimes it can be down to not having eaten enough prior to the craving. One of the best ways to prevent it happening is to ensure that you eat a balanced diet, and have something healthy/sweet on hand - something like a dried fig or date. Allow yourself a treat on occasion so you don't end up feeling deprived and resentful. Just get a small fun-sized something so you haven't got a whole heap to send down the hatch.

I'm in agreement with Archimedesii. I used to get cravings all the time. My body is more stable now, but I still get them sometimes. I would use the same technique. Try fruit, applesauce(my fav answer), or a mix of fruit/brown sugar/oatmeal. A couple combos I came up with are cinn/nutmeg with applesauce in oatmeal(thick kind), or sugar free/no sugar added pie filling (mine is cherry) on top of oatmeal. The oatmeal helps fill you with some better carbs and may just satisfy the craving on it's own, the other stuff is for your taste buds.

I think the biggest trick overall is to find out what the body is craving. Is it that you're starving for carbs, need some vitamin connected with the sugar, or maybe just reacting to a diet change. Only you can figure this one out. In the mean time use gum or whatever you can to stretch it out. Give you body time to recognize it has been fed the sugar.

What you're experiencing really isn't unusual. Every single one of us has dealt with the hungry horrors at one time or another. Over eating one day or even for one weekend WILL NOT make or break your healthy lifestyle.

The fact is, a piece of cake, cookie, candy bar, soda, etc... CAN be a part of a healthy lifestyle as long as you are mindful of the portion. indulge, but try not to over indulge. And if you do over indulge, once again, that doesn't make you a bad person who lacks self control.

Every single one of us has days like this. It happens. it's normal. As long as it doesn't happen every day, you'll be okay. What to do ? have a piece of fruit. the natural sweetness of the fruit should help sate your sugar craving and if it doesn't, it's okay to have 1 or 2 small fun sized pieces of candy. Some times, we all need a small sugar fix.

Do not usually have this problem. Do not know why it is happening now. All yesterday and all today I have been wanting to eat sugary things that have no nutritional value! Although I know in my head I am in control of what I put in my mouth, it is like I am mindlessly reaching for junk and before you know it, its gone. I need an idea to turn this around!

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